Australia's Science Forum

Hi Again, just wondering if anyone out there supplies leather spats to the students if they dont bring appropriate footware to do pracs. We are looking at having a few pairs per lab so that constant offenders cant continually miss the pracs. Has anyone any experience which this, did it work, did they get used, lost etc Thanks in anticipation of the feedback. Cheers MariaC

Hi Maria, I work in an independent school & our kids all wear lace up leather shoes.... but that's not much help to you!!!

Sad when kids either don't have the correct footwear or deliberately don't wear it to miss pracs though.

We are also going to get the parents to buy safety googles with their bookpacks at the beginning of next year but they will be kept in the lab. We were having trouble with the kids just turfing the specs into the box from afar... & then complaining they were scratched!

Sorry I haven't been much help. Spats make sense if there is no other way!

Closed shoes are part of the uniform up here so it's not really an issue. I do remember when i was at uni though there were five pairs of gum boots and if you weren't in the right footwear you had to don them SHAME JOB! I don't think anyone wore the wrong shoes after the first two weeks of pracs .

Good one Rowyrow!

Unfortunately kids these days would probably find it something to be proud of! There doesn't seem to be any 'shame' in punishment, discipline or correction these days.

It isn't really an issue because enclosed leather shoes are part of the uniform. However, you have got me thinking because the kids are in sports uniform some days so they would be wearing sneakers/joggers instead of their usual black leather shoes... hmmm... I'll have to look into that! I don't think anyone here has even thought about it!

Haha yeah you have a point there. There was also a yuck factor involved wearing boots that god knows how many people had, had their feet in, not so appealing

Yes we also have an enclosed leather shoe policy.........but some kids/ parents refuse , and using someone else's shoes has OHS issues so the spats seem the logical answer but unfortunately it will cost! Id say 50-70% of our kids wear inappropriate footwear, canvas or doesn't cover upper foot so has anyone tried this idea?MariaC

hello
No enclosed shoes....no prac......continuing offenders.......detention....try it again....red card
theres no excuse for saftey
M

Rowyrow wrote:Haha yeah you have a point there. There was also a yuck factor involved wearing boots that god knows how many people had, had their feet in, not so appealing

Ohhh yes the gum boots i had to wear them once when I was at uni, let me tell you I never forgot proper shoes ever again We also keep a couple of gum boots here if the students should forget, the trick is to make them extra super duper smelly and dirty, no one in their right mind would want to forget again

By the way, what are spats???

Gosh I wish the teachers here would or could enforce uniform regs, even if only for safety - but they fight to get them to take of their hats! Can't imagine using spats - then they would blame the spats if they leaked and not the inappropriate footwear underneath!

Maria

sometimes there are valid resons why students turn up to school without proper closed in shoes.
We have disposable spats for any such student.
Elasticated around the ankle, lighweight, water proof, woven look type...covers their shoes, but NOT the sole of their existing shoe.

made of the same stuff that disposable overalls are made of.

we dont have to use them often though. Really good to have a few pairs handy

Rainbow Sky, they sound good, but are they safe enough? Is the material resistant to chemical spills, we were looking at leather because the requirements are for leather shoes for safety. Could you please let me know, and where you get them from? Ive had trouble finding supplies of leather spats, welding supplies seem to be the best source but Ive never heard of disposable ones. Cheers MariaC

Maria.. they are the proper ones from BOC..or any personal protective gear outlet .

We did a RA on them, and we deemed that they are a safer alterantive than heavier ( more expensive) leather ones.

Also once use only, so more hygenic. No special cleaningor transferring disease.
Lighter, safer on the feet...less of a trip hazard, can be taped to the shoe upper so one size fits perfectly...easy to remove in case of a spill etc.

Oh thanks rainbow sky, they sound great will order them and see how it goes, thanks for the input!MariaC